The Howling (1981)

I consider the Golden Age of Horror films to be from 1931 to 1945 with films like Tod Browning's DRACULA (1931), James Whale's FRANKENSTEIN (1931) and THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935), Karl Freund's THE MUMMY (1932), and George Waggner's THE WOLF MAN (1941) among the best. Hammer Films from Great Britain would resurrect and breathe new life into the horror genre in the 1950s and early 60s reimagining the classic Frankenstein, Dracula, Mummy, and Werewolf tales with vivid color and a splash of sex and gore. But in the late 70s and early 80s, a modern 2nd Golden Age of Horror emerged, led by mostly young directors, some just out of film school. Filmmakers like John Carpenter (HALLOWEEN), Joe Dante (PIRAHNA), John Landis (AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON), David Cronenberg (SCANNERS), and father figure George Romero (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) told fresh tales of horror with the benefit of new amazing special effect and make-up artists like Rick Baker, Rob Bottin (THE THING), Tom Savini (DAWN OF THE DEAD), and Dick Smith (THE EXORCIST). It was a heady time for horror.

It all happened at the perfect time for a horror film fan like CrazyFilmGuy who was just approaching high school during this renaissance of new horror films. After watching all the classic Universal horror films with my aunt in my youth, I was craving new material to see with my high school friends or new girlfriend. Next to Dracula, the Werewolf is my second most favorite horror character.  Hollywood, as it's apt to do, had two competing werewolf films come out in 1981. John Landis's AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is a terrific werewolf film mixing horror with comedy which is not an easy thing to do. I vividly remember going to see AMERICAN WEREWOLF with my girlfriend and we enjoyed the film immensely.  But the second werewolf film of 1981, director Joe Dante's THE HOWLING holds a special place in my heart as a lover of horror films but also film history in general. 

Not only is Joe Dante's THE HOWLING one of my all-time favorite werewolf movies, but it may also be one of the greatest horror geek out films of all time with all kinds of horror film Easter eggs for movie lovers. Based on the novel The Howling (in title only) by Gary Brandner, screenwriters John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless (but mostly Sayles) gave many of the characters in THE HOWLING the names of film directors who directed or produced werewolf films from both Universal and Hammer films. Director Dante also cast THE HOWLING with veteran actors like John Carradine, Kevin McCarthy, Kenneth Tobey, Slim Pickens, and Dick Miller who either appeared in classic horror/Sci-Fi films or classic films in general.  THE HOWLING is a horror movie fan's Birthday and Christmas gift rolled into one.

THE HOWLING begins with TV news anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) meeting serial killer Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo) in a seedy porno shop in Hollywood, wired by the police to catch Eddie. The surveillance goes badly. Karen barely escapes with her life as Eddie is shot by a trigger-happy young policeman (Steve Nevil). Haunted by dreams and close to a nervous breakdown, Karen begins to see noted psychiatrist Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee) who's been promoting his new book The Gift on her TV station. Waggner believes time away from her news anchor job will do her good and recommends Karen spend some time up at his retreat north of Los Angeles called the Colony, an experimental living community. With the blessing of KDHB General Manager Fred Francis (Kevin McCarthy) and her news colleagues Chris Halloran (Dennis Dugan) and Terry Fisher (Belinda Balaski), Karen travels up to the Colony with her husband William "Bill" Neill (Christopher Stone) for some well-deserved rest.

Karen and Bill attend a barbeque at the Colony hosted by Dr. Waggner where the meet some of the locals including Jerry Warren (James Murtaugh) and his wife Donna (Margie Impert), Charlie Barton (Noble Willingham), the eccentric Erle Kenton (John Carradine), the mysterious and seductive Marsha (Elisabeth Brooks) and her equally feral brother T.C. (Don McLeod). Later that night, Karen hears strange howls at night. Or is it the wind? While on a walk the next evening, Karen and Donna come across a disemboweled cow. The local sheriff Sam Newfield (Slim Pickens) arrives to investigate.  Back in L.A. Chris and Terry search Eddie Quist's apartment and find disturbing drawings including one of Karen.  They go to the morgue to view Eddie's body but when the Morgue Attendant (screenwriter John Sayles in a cameo) opens the vault, Eddie's body is missing. 

Bill goes on a hunt with the locals to find the animal that killed the livestock. He shoots a rabbit. Marsha offers to cook it for Bill and tries to make a move on him which Bill rejects. On his way back to his cabin, Bill's attacked by an animal, suffering a bite. Waggoner bandages Bill up. Karen's scared and calls her Terry, asking her to come up to visit them.  Karen attends some group therapy sessions with Waggner.  Karen and Bill's relationship becomes strained and out of sync. Terry explores the Colony and discovers a cove that resembles one of Eddie Quist's drawings. Bill sneaks out at night and meets Marsha. They make love next to a fire where both turn into werewolves. The Colony is not a therapy retreat but a haven for werewolves. 

The next day, Terry discovers a rustic cabin full of the same drawings she found in Eddie Quist's apartment.  She encounters a werewolf but manages to cut off its hand and flee. Terry runs to Waggoner's office.  She calls Chris to tell him Eddie is one of Waggoner's patients, but her call is cut off when Eddie the werewolf disembowels her. Chris calls the Sheriff then jumps in his car, buying silver bullets from an occult book shop owner (Dick Miller) before driving up to the Colony. Karen and Bill have a fight over Marsha. Karen goes to Waggoner's office to call Chris and finds Terry dead and Eddie alive.  Eddie begins to transform again. Karen throws acid on Eddie and runs out of the office. She reaches her car, but Jerry and Charlie are waiting for her. They take Karen by gunpoint to a barn where a werewolf council has convened led by Waggoner. But there's dissent among the group. Marsha doesn't like that Waggoner brought Karen to the community. Chris arrives at the Colony with rifle in hand. He shoots several werewolves. As Karen and Chris try to escape, Karen is bitten. Back in Los Angeles, Karen goes on camera with dangerous consequences to warn her viewers that werewolves live amongst them.

What about those character names and their connection to other werewolf films? Let's start with William "Bill" Neill played by Christopher Stone. Neill was the director of FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1944). His full name was actually Roy William Neill.  George Waggner (played by Patrick Macnee) directed THE WOLF MAN (1941). Erle Kenton (played by John Carradine) directed HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) and HOUSE OF DRACULA (1945) in which the Wolf Man appeared in both. Ironically, a young John Carradine played Dracula in both of those films. Terry Fisher (played by Belinda Belaski) references Hammer Film director Terence Fisher who was at the helm of THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF (1961). Fred Francis (played by Kevin McCarthy) is British cinematographer and director Freddie Francis who made LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF (1975).  Legendary and prolific B-movie director Sam Newfield (played by Slim Pickens) directed THE MAD MONSTER (1942) which had a werewolf in the film. Charlie Barton (played by Noble Willingham) made ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN (1948) which had Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man playing second banana to the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.  Lew Landers (played by Jim McKrell) was another B-movie maestro who directed THE RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (1943) that had both a vampire and werewolf in the picture. Jerry Warren (played by James Murtaugh) rivaled Ed Wood for some of the cheapest made horror films ever made including his werewolf contribution FACE OF THE SCREAMING WEREWOLF (1964). Lastly director Stuart Walker who directed the first talking werewolf film WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935) is referenced by morgue attendant John Sayles as a former co-worker. An incredible Who's Who of werewolf trivia by THE HOWLING filmmakers and fun for horror movie fans to pick out.

For all the times I've watched THE HOWLING, I've mostly paid attention to the horror film aspects of the film, but screenwriter John Sayles (who would go on to direct prestigious films including MATEWAN, EIGHT MEN OUT, and LONE STAR) cleverly throws in some social commentary and pop culture references that I noticed upon this viewing. THE HOWLING takes shots at the cutthroat world of local television news where a news station risks the life of their news anchor for an exclusive.  Karen is put out as bait to capture serial killer Eddie Quist and nearly loses her life when the police operation goes awry.  General Manager Fred Francis is more interested in historic TV news ratings than Karen's welfare when he puts Karen on air to tell the audience how she caught Eddie the Mangler. 

The disintegration of a marriage is another topic not normally found in a horror film although THE HOWLING is no KRAMER VS KRAMER (1979). Karen and her husband Bill whose marriage appears strong at the start of THE HOWLING will fall apart once they go to the Colony. When Bill wants sex, Karen's not in the mood, still recovering from the trauma at the porno store.  Later, when Karen's interested, Bill's not in the mood, recovering from a wolf bite and unknowingly, snared by the she-wolf Marsha. Karen and Bill even have a domestic violence spat with Bill striking Karen after she accuses him of sleeping with Marsha. It's domestic drama in the middle of a supernatural tale.

Psychotherapy is another target in THE HOWLING.  Dr. Waggner runs the Colony, a forest hideaway where he works with patients fighting repressed memories. He pedals his book The Gift on KDHB TV and advises the channel during the Eddie Quist manhunt. Donna Warren tells Karen she tried other groups like Primal Screamers and Scientology before finding Waggner and his methods. But it turns out Waggner's a fraud. The Colony is a sanctuary for people who suffer with lycanthropy aka werewolves.  Waggner does help the werewolves to control their urges. Charlie Barton raises livestock for the werewolves to feed on instead of humans.  But Eddie Quist's serial killings eventually expose the Colony's secret. 

Director Joe Dante sprinkles throughout THE HOWLING cast a Who's Who of supporting actors with ties to classic horror and science fiction films as well as classic films in general.  I can't think of another film that has so many juicy connections bridging the past with the present. Let's start with actor John Carradine. Carradine appeared in over one hundred films (some good; some not very good) including John Ford's THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1939).  One of his earliest appearances in horror is a brief, uncredited appearance as a hunter in FRANKENSTEIN (1931). As previously mentioned, Carradine appeared as Dracula in HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF DRACULA, both directed by Erle Kenton which is Carradine's character's name in THE HOWLING.  As Erle, Carradine gets to ham it up as the oldest werewolf in the Colony.

Film fans will remember Kenneth Tobey from the classic sci-fi/horror film THE THING FROM ANTOHER PLANET (1951) directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Howard Hawks. Dante remembered Tobey and cast him as a veteran cop trying to locate Karen White with his trigger-happy partner on the streets of Hollywood at the beginning of THE HOWLING. Tobey would also make an appearance in Dante's GREMLINS (1984). Kevin McCarthy who plays ratings hungry general manager Fred Francis was the lead in another classic sci-f/horror film, Don Siegel's THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956), shouting the famous line "You're next!" at the end of the film. One of Dante's favorite lucky charms who has appeared practically all his films is Dick Miller. In THE HOWLING, Miller plays Walter Paisley, bookstore proprietor and werewolf lore expert.  Walter Paisley was the name of Miller's character in the Roger Corman directed BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959). Corman, who's production company Concorde produced Dante's JAWS rip off PIRAHNA (1978) has a cameo at the beginning of THE HOWLING.  Miller would play the unfortunate pawn hop owner who sells Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator ammunition in James Cameron's THE TERMINATOR (1984). 

Rounding out THE HOWLING'S eclectic supporting cast is the recognizable Slim Pickens who plays Sheriff Sam Newfield. Pickens could usually be found in countless westerns both in film and television including Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES (1974) but one of Pickens most memorable roles is in Stanley Kubrick's' DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) as Major "King" Kong, riding a nuclear bomb like a bronco to doomsday at the film's finale. One of Dante's final touches is casting British actor Patrick Macnee as the TV psychiatrist Dr. George Waggner.  Magee is most famous playing British Agent John Steed on the hit British TV show THE AVENGERS (1961-1969) opposite Honor Blackman and later Diane Rigg.  As the show was syndicated, THE AVENGERS became a hit in America as well. Macnee brings class to THE HOWLING as an educated and concerned doctor who turns out to not quite be what his public persona indicates. 

She doesn't get enough credit, but Dee Wallace is the glue that grounds THE HOWLING into reality despite its incredible werewolf transformations and effects. Wallace's performance as anchor woman Karen White, tenuously trying to keep her grip on reality as her career and marriage crumble in the aftermath of the disastrous Eddie Quist encounter is a tour de force for a horror film. Wallace's performance in THE HOWLING must have caught the attention of Steven Spielberg, who cast Wallace as the single mother trying to raise three kids and a cute little alien in E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTIAL (1982), another impressive performance by Wallace. The 80s were good to Wallace with lead roles in Lewis Teague's CUJO (1983) based on the Stephen King novel and CRITTERS (1986), a sci-fi horror comedy.

THE HOWLING is very male dominated but besides Dee Wallace, three other actresses have prominent and important roles in the film. Belinda Belaski who plays Karen White's co-worker and friend Terry Fisher was a favorite of director Joe Dante.  Belaski appeared in his first film PIRAHNA and would also have roles in Dante's GREMLINS, GREMLINS: A NEW BATCH (1990), and MATINEE (1993). Belaski's Fisher is both a confidante to Karen and an investigative producer who uncovers more than she bargained for when she comes up to the Colony when Karen needs her the most. Newcomer Elisabeth Brooks has both the toughest and sexiest role as Marsha, the so-called "nymphomaniac" of the Colony. In truth, Marsha is the most truthful of the inhabitants, barely concealing her true nature (except that she's Eddie Quist's sister). Brooks certainly has a lupin quality to her. Lastly, Margie Impert as Donna Landers provides a sisterly role, taking in Karen and showing her around the Colony when she first arrives. Donna shows us that not all werewolves have to be violent people.  They can also be wives and best friends. 

Some final HOWLING tidbits. Make Up artist and huge werewolf fan Rick Baker began work on THE HOWLING before director John Landis pulled Baker away to work on AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (Landis and Baker had worked in 1973 on a low budget film called SCHLOCK together previously). Baker's assistant Rob Bottin would take over the werewolf effects duties. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON'S beast is four legged. THE HOWLING chose to have its werewolves two-legged. Both werewolf films would be released in 1981 and both Baker and Bottin would be applauded for their special effects especially the transformation of men and women into werewolves done without dissolves like Lon Chaney Jr. in THE WOLF MAN. 

A couple of werewolf special effects in THE HOWLING did not turn out quite as spectacularly as hoped yet director Dante left them in the final cut albeit very briefly.  The scene where Bill and Marsha make love in the woods and transform into werewolves ends with an animated shot of the two creatures intertwined before panning up to a full moon. It only works because it ends that particular scene.  The other partially successful effect by Dave Allen is toward the end with three stop animation model werewolves howling as Karen and Chris flee the Colony. It's Dante's attempt to have a full length shot of the werewolves but it's very brief and obvious the creatures are models and not people in a werewolf costumes. But I applaud both experiments with different types of special effects. 

Dee Wallace and Christopher Stone play husband and wife in THE HOWLING but were actually engaged during filming and married from 1980 to 1995 when Stone died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 55. Besides THE HOWLING, Wallace and Stone also worked together in CUJO.  Actor Dennis Dugan who plays news producer Chris Halloran would continue to act but also turn to directing.  Dugan chose comedy over horror, directing several Adam Sandler films including HAPPY GILMORE (1996) and GROWN UPS (2010). THE HOWLING is full of cameos.  Besides screenwriter John Sayles as the morgue attendant and low budget film director/producer Roger Corman as Man in Phone Booth, look for Famous Monsters publisher Forrest J. Ackerman as a Hollywood bookstore customer, fellow Corman director protege Jonathan Kaplan (HEART LIKE A WHEEL) as a gas station attendant, and RAGING BULL cinematographer Michael Chapman as Man at End of Bar in the film's final scene.

Often the best part of a film is the movie poster.  The rest of the film is crap.  This is not the case with THE HOWLING which I believe may be one of the greatest movie posters in film history.  Like the film, the poster hints at the horror that awaits. An unseen woman screaming behind scratch marks on a canvas. A creepy red font spelling out the title.  Kudos to Avco Embassy's marketing team. 

Director Dante and screenwriters Sayles and Winkless even stick in a pop culture icon in a subversive way in THE HOWLING with the use of the yellow smiley face.  Serial killer Eddie Quist uses a yellow smiley face sticker to lead Karen to their Hollywood Boulevard rendezvous. He places it on a phone booth where he calls her and later the porno booth where they finally meet in person. But after Eddie's killed, we continue to see that smiley face in various places like Eddie's apartment or the ramshackle cabin that Terry stumbles upon in the woods of the Colony. The sticker hints that Eddie or some malevolent force is lurking. What should be a warm feeling when seeing a smiley face takes on a sense of dread.

For Dante, Sayles, Bottin, Wallace, and many others, THE HOWLING would be their calling card to bigger projects and success.  Director Dante would go on to direct the Steven Speilberg produced GREMLINS and later the sci-fi comedy INNERSPACE (1987) starring Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, and Martin Short. But for CrazyFilmGuy, THE HOWLING is Dante's best film, a love letter to the horror and sci-fi classics that must have shaped him (and many of us) in our youth.  Every aspect of THE HOWLING is superb for a film that cost slightly over one million dollars to make. John Hora's cinematography is excellent, garish lighting for the Hollywood scenes, moody backlighting and fog for scenes shot in Mendocino County standing in as the Colony.  Editors Mark Goldblatt (TERMINATOR II: JUDGEMENT DAY) and Dante keep the film moving at a nice 90-minute pace yet give every character his or her moment. The werewolf transformation scenes are cut perfectly, mixing actor and werewolf model mask flawlessly. And Italian composer Pino Donaggio's atmospheric score melds perfectly with the film.  THE HOWLING would spawn many sequels including HOWLING II: YOUR SISTER IS A WEREWOLF (1985) with Christopher Lee and Sybil Danning but none of them come close to the originality of THE HOWLING. 

John Landis's AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON is a great werewolf film, made on location in Wales and London, with a bigger budget and studio backing.  But for me, THE HOWLING is a better film, pushing the classic werewolf story into the modern era, mixing humor, horror, and social commentary into a classic made by filmmakers who pay homage to the cinematic past while forging a new future for horror films in today's film universe.